@article{orskov_virtual_2025,

title = {Virtual reality-based exposure with 360° video as part of cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder: a three-arm randomized controlled trial},

author = {P. T. Ørskov and E. Runge and T. T. H. Sainte-Marie and M. T. Ernst and L. Clemmensen and C. H. Dalsgaard and M. B. Lichtenstein and S. Bouchard},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105009844371&doi=10.3389%2ffrvir.2025.1588181&partnerID=40&md5=05dc996dceefc02747d099f6dcaed3ad},

doi = {10.3389/frvir.2025.1588181},

issn = {26734192 (ISSN)},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-01-01},

journal = {Frontiers in Virtual Reality},

volume = {6},

abstract = {Background: Social anxiety disorder (SAD) has a high prevalence and an early onset. It often persists well into adulthood, turning into a chronic disorder. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective in treating SAD, but real-life exposure conducted as part of CBT is often costly and time-consuming, and imaginary exposure might lack realism and intensity. Virtual reality (VR)-based exposure using 360° video offers a promising way to deliver exposure therapy. Objective: To develop a complete psychotherapeutic treatment program including CBT with VR-based exposure using 360° videos (CBT-ExpVR) for adult patients with SAD and to test the treatment effect using the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) as the primary outcome. Methods: This three-arm randomized controlled trial involved 51 participants who were recruited through self-referral. The interventions took place at Center for Digital Psychiatry in Denmark. Participants were randomized via computer program to CBT-ExpVR, CBT with in vivo exposure (CBT-Exp), or an active control group offered VR relaxation (RlxVR). Afterwards, participants assigned to RlxVR were re-randomized to one of the two CBT interventions. Allocation was not blinded. Results: Intention-to-treat analysis showed that participants receiving CBT-ExpVR reported significantly fewer symptoms of social anxiety at post-treatment compared to pre-treatment, β = −14.89, 95% CI (−18.64, −11.14), p < 0.0001. At post-treatment, no difference in treatment effect was found between CBT-ExpVR and CBT-Exp, β = 3.643, 95% CI (−1.727, 9.013)},

note = {Publisher: Frontiers Media SA},

keywords = {360° video, cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure, randomized controlled trial, social anxiety disorder, virtual reality},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}